


Fear Not The Darkness

by TylerAndAlexAndCeddyOhMy



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Blow Jobs, M/M, Mentions of Rape, also really vague descriptions of sex, not graphic in the slightest, really vague descriptions of ceddy killing people, the people ceddy takes out are bad people so...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-22 05:52:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11373894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TylerAndAlexAndCeddyOhMy/pseuds/TylerAndAlexAndCeddyOhMy
Summary: Prompt from Bolts AU on Tumblr: AU where the Russians run a body removal service and Ceddy always seems to be making a mess.Or: Ceddy is an assassin with a special assignment in Florida. He just wants to kill someone and get out of the God forsaken hell hole before his face melts. And the Russians are smart asses. Go figure.





	Fear Not The Darkness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [orangecrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orangecrow/gifts).



> Ceddy does kill a few people in this but it's all pretty vague, let me know if I missed tagging anything that bother people.

The thing is Ceddy is good at his job, really good. Things need to be taken care of? Ceddy takes care of them. Brakes need cut? He’ll wear a brake line down so well no one would be able to tell the difference between what he did and a mechanical anomaly. Hunting accident? Perfect. Those are common in his part of Canada. But wetwork, that was Ceddy’s specialty, up close and personal with his kills. He’s as cold as the ice he grew up in and everyone knows that.

He doesn't necessarily _like_ what he does, but he was raised into it so, it's not like he knows anything else.

Ceddy is the best of the best, every assassin in Canada knows that, and every one in North America has heard whispers of his name. Which is why no one was surprised when he was sent to the US for a special assignment that came to his boss from somewhere overseas.

The problem is, Ceddy doesn’t blend in Florida like he does in Quebec, his accent attracts attention and his dark good looks are memorable.

Ceddy’s boss hadn’t given him his ultimate assignment yet, some tech guy was trying to pinpoint the target. But he had plenty of small jobs to keep him somewhat busy. He’d been put on loan to a local, lower boss. He’s been collecting debits, intimidating and occasionally beating local losers into submission, and he was bored. 

Excruciatingly, excessively bored. 

Ceddy didn’t kill for fun, it’s not like he was going to go out and murder some random person on the street. The people he killed were scumbags, lower than low, but come on, isn’t there anyone in this God forsaken sauna that needs to be killed?

After a few weeks Ceddy finally got a real assignment, a local drug dealer, small time, someone they wouldn’t usually worry about but some new information had recently come to light. There had been a serial rapist working in Channelside and Ybor, Ceddy had been frequenting the clubs down there, hoping to come across the guy. The rapist made the mistake of attacking the daughter of one of the higher ups in The Organization while she was in Florida on vacation. She’d managed to fight him off long enough for her bodyguard to find them in the alley he’d dragged her into. The guy got away but the bodyguard recognized him and Ceddy had been dispatched. 

He’d been given a card, a number to call. A clean up crew, they told him. The best. Russians.This isn’t Canada, they said, there aren’t hundreds of thousands of acres to dump a body in Tampa.

It took a couple hours and a little, persuasion, but Ceddy tracked the rapist to a dingy little room behind a club, down an alley off of 6th street in Ybor, near the railroad tracks. He pulled him out into the alley, where evidence will be more easily removed, or washed away with the rain that was due later.

It was quick and quiet, and a bit messy, but they were hidden behind a couple dumpsters. When it was done, Ceddy made the phone call.

“Location?”

“You don’t sound Russian. They said you were Russian.”

“Do you want help or not?” The voice on the other end sounded slightly more accented with the longer sentence.

“Yes.”

“ _Location._ ”

Ceddy supplied the address.

“How many?”

“Just one.”

“Twenty minutes.”

Ceddy hung up his phone and leaned back against the brick wall to wait. He needed to see this through, a least until he could trust these cleaners. He played Dinner Dash on his phone while waiting.

Suddenly he realized there were footsteps coming down the alley. Ceddy checked the time, it had only been ten minutes, there was no way it was the cleaners yet.

“Hey Dan! You back here?”

Ceddy locked his phone and froze, hoping the light hadn't already given him away.

“Dan, there's some big French sounding guy looking for you, you've got to get out of here,” the voice said, closer to the dumpster.

Damn it, he knew that grating voice, it was one of the idiots Ceddy had shaken down for information earlier. Brave and stupid, the worst combination. He’d known this one might come back to haunt him when he left the guy alive.

Ceddy crept to the edge of the dumpster in case the guy came around there. Judging by the foot steps, he was on his way.

The guy came into view and Ceddy had a hold of him before he even registered someone was there, then he was dead on the ground next to Dan before he knew what was going on.

Shit. This was supposed to be simple. Quick and easy. He was supposed to still have time to go pick up after this.

All he could do now was hope this guy hadn't brought anyone with him and that the cleaners would hurry the fuck up.

A nondescript van pulled into the alley a few minutes later and Ceddy crossed his fingers that it was the cleaners and he wouldn't have to add to the body count for the evening. The van blocked all view of the alley from the road so he was pretty sure it was them.

He stayed hidden behind the dumpsters but peaked out and watched a tall lanky guy slide from behind the wheel, he probably had a couple inches on Ceddy, but he would be pretty easy to take out, if needed.

Next, out of the passenger seat came a smaller guy, blond and grinning, possibly laughing at something the other had said. He looked pretty soft too, easy target. And neither of them were carrying a weapon, Ceddy could tell by how they moved.

Finally the back door slid open and third guy stepped out, he was dark where the second had been light. Dark messy hair, dark expression, and a mess of a dark beard covering the bottom half of his face. This one was strapped, for sure. Two at least. But he wouldn't need them, he moved like he was trained in hand to hand. And the way his eyes scanned the alley, Ceddy knew this guy knew where he was, even though he hadn't moved a muscle. He wasn't any bigger than the blond but this one, he wouldn't be so easy to take care of.

“2313?” the blond called, low. It was the same slightly accented voice from the phone.

It took Ceddy a moment to realized those were the last four digits of his phone number.

The dark haired guy was staring straight at him, even though Ceddy knew there was no way he could see him, the guys blue eyes shone even in the dark and it unsettled him.

“Yeah, I'm here,” Ceddy finally called back, just as quiet before stepping out from behind the dumpsters.

“It back there?” the blond asked.

“Yeah, they're here,” Ceddy said, about to explain himself.

The dark one cut him off, spitting out angry sounding words in Russian. The lanky one hummed in agreement, eyes turning a little hard.

The blond said something that sounded placating before turning to Ceddy, suddenly and surprisingly hardened himself.

“You said one.”

“It was one, then his idiot friend came looking for him. I couldn't let him live.”

The blond looked at him for a moment, assessing. Apparently he saw what he was looking for because he said something in Russian again to the others who pushed past Ceddy to grab the first body.

“Get over there and get your clothes off,” the blond said, pointing to the far wall.

“You could at least buy me dinner first,” Ceddy smirked. 

“Shut up and get your clothes off,” the blond said, tossing a bag to him. “Put those on. We'll get yours back to you after they're cleaned. Alcohol wipes too. Get under your nails. Put them in the bag too.”

Ceddy did as he was told and stripped down. “Underwear too?” Ceddy asked, looking up at the blond, who was leaning against the dumpster watching him.

“Mmhmm, better safe than sorry,” he said.

“You gonna tell me what your name is? If you're gonna see my dick.”

The guy snorted. “I don't know, are you going to tell me your name, 2313?”

“Not likely,” Ceddy snorted, yanking his underwear down. He wiped himself down with the wipes while the blond looked on and the other two worked.

“It happened here right?” the lanky one asked. “Both of them?”

“Yeah,” Ceddy said, finishing cleaning himself and digging into the bag to pull clothes out. “There's no underwear.”

“I didn't think you wanted to wear his used underwear,” the blond said, pointing to the dark one with his thumb. “Free balling for you.”

“Keep pants,” the dark one said as he passed by. “Want shirt back.”

“Yeah ok,” Ceddy said, pulling the jeans on. They were tight, really tight, but apparently the guy liked his pants plenty long because they hit Ceddy perfectly. 

By the time Ceddy was dressed they'd finished cleaning the alley and had the bodies tucked away in the van.

“Next time, make sure the count is correct,” the blond told him. “You're just lucky that you kept it all contained to one area.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Ceddy said, with a shrug.

“Until next time,” the blond said as they all climbed back into the van.

Ceddy looked at his phone as they backed out. Seven minutes. Not bad, they were probably quicker if all three of them were working, rather than one of them watching him get naked.

Which was kind of hot. So was the Russian. All of them kind of were.

And that was not the point. They were pretty good cleaners and Ceddy needed to get on with his evening, and get laid.

 

Ceddy found a club and sidled up to the bar, ordered a whiskey and looked around, there were a few potentials in his eyeline.

He was good at this too, picking up, especially here. Everyone loved his accent, sometimes he played it up, acted like he was searching for words, some people really loved that. Like they were somehow corrupting the innocent French Canadian. It was a little weird but hey, he could work with that. Sometimes he played the man of mystery, sort of, mostly he was just himself, quiet, and they took it as mystery. Whatever, it got him laid.

Someone bumped into him from behind, making him turn around.

“Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry,” The girl paused, looking up at him. She put her hand on his arm and continued, voice an octave lower, “I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't spill your drink.”

“No, no it's fine. Let me buy you a drink, to show I don't have any hard feelings,” Ceddy said with a small smirk.

“Of course, I would love that.”

They talked for a while, Ceddy was sure he was about to close the deal and get out of there with her when he noticed she kept flicking her eyes over his shoulder.

He turned to see three guys that were clearly about to come to blows a few feet away. Two on one wasn't Ceddy’s idea of fair so he excused himself for a moment. He come into the argument in time to hear the guy who was alone say, “I did the job, and you'll pay me, or you'll be sorry.”

Ceddy recognized the two guys, some of the “businessmen” he'd shaken down earlier in the week for a debit. He stood behind the guy, crossed his arms and smirked when the pair recognized him.

They hastily handed the guy an envelope and left quickly.

The guy standing in front of him turned around, looking satisfied, and ran headlong into Ceddy.

He was, cute. Really cute. “Sorry bro,” the guy said, smiling up at him. “But uh, I appreciate the backup.” 

Ceddy raised his eyebrows, he was impressed. He had no idea the guy knew he had known he was there.

“Buy you a drink?” the guy asked.

Ceddy looked back to where the blonde had been standing, she was gone. Looking back at the guy he took in his full lips and soft brown eyes. His cheekbones were the stuff Shakespeare would write sonnets about. Hell Ceddy wanted to write sonnets about them. He’d be pretty if it weren't for the cut of his jaw.

Yeah, this guy would do. For the night.

“Sure, I could use another,” Ceddy said, turning on the charm.

“I'm JT, by the way,” the guy said after they'd ordered drinks.

“Cedric,” Ceddy answered, surprising himself. He didn't usually use his real name with perspective hookups. Or anyone really. “But you can call me Ceddy.”

“Canadian huh?” JT asked. “Sounds like like Quebec?”

“You're good,” Ceddy said with a laugh.

“Yeah, I am,” JT smirked.

The conversation flowed between them after that and JT made it obvious that he was willing to go home with him.

“Why don't we get out of here?” Ceddy asked. “I think we both know what's up.”

JT nodded. “Yeah, yeah sounds good.”

They made their way outside and JT asked, “Yours or mine?”

“I'm in Channelside,” Ceddy said.

“Hyde Park.”

“I'm closer, I'll get us an uber,” Ceddy said.

JT nodded while crowding Ceddy inside the mouth of an ally and back against a wall as he tapped into his phone. JT put his mouth against Ceddy’s neck, licking up to his ear.

“Fuck,” Ceddy muttered, finishing ordering their car and shoving his phone into his pocket.

“Yeah, we'll get there,” JT said, kissing him.

JT’s lips were soft, but demanding and Ceddy wasn't used to relinquishing control but he would deal with it, for now.

They kissed until Ceddy’s phone went off, letting them know the car had arrived. They hopped in and made small talk with the driver on the way to Channelside.

Ceddy kept his hands on JT, as much as he dared, so he wouldn't lower his Uber rating. When they got to his building Ceddy all but pulled JT from the car. He nodded to his doorman, leading JT in, hand in hand.

Once they were in the elevator Ceddy pinned JT to the wall, JT leaned back, tipping his chin up and opened his mouth, letting Ceddy lick into his mouth. They were well on their way to rutting against one another when the elevator dinged, announcing they had arrived on Ceddy’s floor.

Groaning, Ceddy pulled away, revealing they were both half hard.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s go,” JT said, sounding so desperate that it went straight to Ceddy’s cock. 

Ceddy tugged him down the hallway and around the corner, to his front door. He was situated in a corner apartment, right near the stairs. He unlocked his front door and let JT go in before him. 

“Nice place,” JT hummed, looking around, taking in the view out the two walls of windows.

“If you think this is nice you should see the bedroom,” Ceddy said, knowing full well how cheesy it was, but feeling like JT would be fine with it.

JT snorted. “Smooth. Real smooth. You better be glad I’m already here.”

Ceddy laughed. “I don’t think that would have put you off.”

“True,” JT said, walking around the living room. He pointed to Ceddy’s mostly closed bedroom door. “This the fabled bedroom?”

“It is,” Ceddy smirked and leaned against the back of his couch.

JT backed though the bedroom door. “Then I better check it out. Since it’s apparently so epic.”

“Mmm, yeah you better. I’ll come give you the tour,” Ceddy grinned, pushing off the couch and following JT into his bedroom.

 

Four days later JT was sitting on Ceddy’s couch, starting a up a video game while Ceddy scrolled through Takeout Hero on his phone.

“Sushi?” Ceddy asked.

“Yeah, sounds good,” JT answered.

They put in an order and started their game. This was the second time time this week JT had come over for dinner before hooking up again. Which was definitely a first, Ceddy had never had a hookup over for dinner, muchless more than once. In fact it was exceedingly rare for him to see someone more than once. He didn’t want anyone to have significant memories of him.

They were sitting next to each other, thighs brushing as they shifted around. This little contact was turning Ceddy on, and that annoyed him. He didn’t do this, hanging out, eating together, it was way too, domestic. Ceddy doesn’t do domestic, he doesn’t do relationships, he doesn’t do ordering sushi and playing video games on the couch, but here he is, doing just that. 

JT rubbed against Ceddy again, a little more purposefully this time. Ceddy hummed and leaned into him a little.

“Think we have time for a blow job before the guy gets here?” JT asked.

Ceddy laughed. “Yeah probably.”

“You're already hard so,” JT started.

“Pavlovian response to your presence,” Ceddy snorted. Ceddy set his controller down and palmed his cock through his sweats. JT won the game quickly and threw his arms up in triumph.

“Did you suggest a blowjob just because I was winning?” Ceddy asked, annoyed. They'd discovered they were both hypercompetitive the first night they slept together.

“No, not _just_ because you were winning. Also because blowjobs are great,” JT said with a shrug.

“True,” Ceddy grinned and worked his sweats down around his thighs. He jerked his cock a couple times, working it towards being fully hard as JT slid off the couch into the floor, bringing a pillow with him.

JT swatted at Ceddy’s hand, batting him away so he could wrap his long fingers around Ceddy’s girth.

He was leaning forward to take Ceddy in his mouth when a knock came on the door.

“Fuck,” Ceddy groaned as JT sat back in his knees and looked up at him, grinning.

“Guess we underestimated the time huh?”

Ceddy looked at his phone. “No, it doesn't even say the driver is at the restaurant yet.”

“Oh, yeah. How'd they get in the building? No one called up,” JT asked as he moved out of Ceddy’s way so he could stand and pull his pants back up, flipping his cock into his waistband and tugging his shirt down to cover it.

Ceddy hadn't even thought of that, hanging out with JT was making him soft, less aware. The knock came again and Ceddy wanted to pull the glock out of the couch that he kept there but glancing down at JT still on his knees next to the couch already looking terrified, he ran his hand over JT’s braids and said, “Someone probably got my mail.”

Ceddy walked over to the door, which for some stupid reason didn't have a peephole and pulled the door open.

“Hi,” the blond Russian grinned at him from the hallway, the dark one loomed behind. He held up Ceddy’s clothes and made a motion that looked like he wanted to come in.

Ceddy was _not_ ok with that but with JT there he couldn't make a scene.

“Hey, come in. I'll grab his clothes, I washed them,” Ceddy said, motioning them in.

Ceddy took his clothes from the blond turned to go to his room, to grab the clothes he needed to return and caught sight of JT’s face. And he did not look amused.

Ceddy could see how this looked bad, both of the guys were really good looking, and they were bringing him clothes.

“JT, these are some friends from work, Ilya and Maxim. I had a little accident and they loaned me some clothes,” Ceddy explained as he walked across his apartment. When he back back from his room he added, “Ilya lives in the building, so that's why they didn't have to call up.”

“Yeah,” JT answered with a nod. “They said that.”

Ceddy all but wrenched the door open to usher the Russians out into the hallway. He stepped into the hallway pulled the door to behind them, thrusting the clothes into the dark haired guy’s chest.

“Seriously, how'd you get into my building?”

They both laughed and the blond said, “Maybe Ilya here really does live here. Or is he Maxim?”

“He's Maxim, you're Ilya, not the point. I went over this building top to bottom there aren't any open entry points.”

The Russians laughed again and started down the hallway. “Have a good night, go get your dick sucked by your pretty boyfriend, Pierre,” the blond called over his shoulder. 

Ceddy winced but he deserved that, for giving them generic Russian names. He went back in his apartment to find JT still on his knees by the couch.

“Everything ok?” JT asked, still looking concerned.

“Oh, yeah, just talking work stuff,” Ceddy shrugged.

“I've never asked you what you do,” JT said.

“I'm a consultant,” Ceddy said, the lie rolling off his tongue as easy as usual.

“You work with a lot of Russians?”

Ceddy’s eyebrows drew together as he took in JT’s trying to play it oh so cool exterior, but his eyes were panicked. JT was tugging his pants back down, looking both desperate and scared.

“Not really,” Ceddy answered, sitting his bare ass back on his couch after JT got his pants down.

Leaning back Ceddy tried to enjoy himself, JT had above average head game, really, but Ceddy was distracted. He let his mind wander as he idly petted JT.

How had the Russians gotten into his building? How did they know where he lived? And don't think he hadn't noticed that “subtle” mention of JT. Was that supposed to be a threat? Speaking of JT why was he so freaked out? He's scared of Russians? That makes no sense.

Ceddy’s orgasm catches him off guard, he barely has a chance to warn JT with a tap, which is shaken off.

When JT is wiping his mouth off with the back of his hand Ceddy tries to pull him into his lap. “Come on, come up here.”

“No, I'm ok. Your phone has been going off like crazy, food is probably almost here,” JT brushed him off, reaching for his bottle of water that was on the coffee table. 

Ceddy picked up his phone from the side table and read the texts, while he was doing that the front desk called. He answered and okayed the food delivery. JT had crawled onto the couch next to him while he was on the phone.

Ceddy threw his arm around him and pulled him in for a kiss. “Thank you,” Ceddy mumbled, half into JT’s mouth. 

JT snorted. “You're welcome,” he said as he pulled away, looking towards the door a split second before the knock came.

Ceddy narrowed his eyes at JT, he didn't see panic in his eyes again, but JT definitely heard the delivery guy in the hallway when Ceddy hadn't.

JT disentangled himself from Ceddy, who pulled himself up off the couch, tucking his cock back in his sweats as he walked over to the door again.

They chatted while they ate their dinner, JT kept bringing the conversation back around to Ceddy’s job, but he had stock answers, ones he'd memorized years ago and could spout off at will. Ceddy knew JT knew he was lying, and JT knew that Ceddy knew that JT knew that he was lying, but he lied anyway.

When Ceddy tried to turn the conversation to what JT did he started getting short answers, then no answers. After that they settled into a routine of conversation, never anything too personal. They talked about cool places around town, restaurants, hockey, the best beaches, and occasional mentions of JT’s dogs, that were currently living with a friend since he couldn't have animals at his rental house.

Their lives went on like that for weeks, dancing around their personal lives, until a copycat rapist of the one he'd taken out popped up and Ceddy was tasked with getting rid of him too. His bosses reasoned that either the guy he'd killed and this one were working together from the start, or they'd created the copycat by taking killing the first guy. 

Frankly Ceddy didn't care, he'd been planning on looking for the guy anyway. When he wasn't spending time with JT, which was somehow almost all of his time now. He'd even been staying over at least a night a week. 

Ceddy had no idea how they'd gotten here, how he'd gotten here. But JT had somehow wedged his way into Ceddy’s life and he honestly didn't understand how this random guy that he'd picked up in a bar one night had nearly become his entire life. How he'd made him feel things he didn't think himself capable of feeling. Soft, squishy, gross things.

JT made him want to tell the truth, maybe not the whole truth because The Organization wouldn't be happy about that. And maybe Ceddy didn't want JT to know the darkest of his secrets. He had a hard time dealing with some of those himself.

They still danced around anything too personal, Ceddy had thought about using his resources to look into JT, because he was obviously hiding something, but the Ceddy realized he didn't even know his last name.

Then that was all Ceddy could think about, he didn't know the last name of the man who'd been in his bed, his apartment, his life. 

Ceddy was out, scoping out a club that several of the victims had been at, including the last girl, from last night. Who'd been found dead at about four a.m. not 100 yards outside the backdoor of this club. 

That's what had finally pulled Ceddy away from the little cocoon he'd built around he and JT. Much to JT’s annoyance. But it's not like Ceddy could explain.

In the end it didn't take long, Ceddy recognized one of the guys moving through the club, someone The Organization had their eye on for something unrelated. As soon as Ceddy saw him he knew, but he waited, watched. And all he could think of was JT.

The guy slipped something in a girl's drink then herded her out the back door, Ceddy followed and found the guy with a knife in hand, about to cut the girl's clothes off while she fought him weakly. That was all the evidence Ceddy needed, he broke the guy's wrist taking the knife away from him and he ran, the girl fell into Ceddy’s arms, sobbing so hard her slurs weren't even close to making words. 

Ceddy took her back inside to the girls he'd seen her with and explained that he'd found a guy trying to attack her in the alley and disappeared when the girls swarmed her, trying to comfort her.

He had hunting to do.

It’s didn’t take long, again, the guy didn’t know Ceddy, didn’t know what he was capable of and had no idea he worked for The Organization so he crawled back into the hole he’d come out of. It took Ceddy less than ten minutes to locate the guy, using his connections.

Less than a half an hour later Ceddy was calling the Russians again.

“2313, location?”

Ceddy told the Russian where he was and waited. They were there within fifteen minutes, the blond tossing Ceddy a bag of clothes again, then joining the other two in cleaning.

They were done by the time Ceddy was dressed again. When the blond tried to take the bag of clothes from him he held onto it and pulled the Russian close to him. “I appreciate your services,” Ceddy growled as the dark one moved in, but didn’t intervene, yet. “But I don’t appreciate the dig into my personal life. My place is one thing but the comment about my friend, not ok.”

The blond laughed and snatched the bag from Ceddy. “Dude, your apartment was easy. We work for the same people. As for your boyfriend, that wasn’t a threat.”

“We just clean,” the lanky one said from a few feet behind the dark haired one, looking nervous about the conflict.

“Look, I’ll extend an olive branch,” the blond says. “I’m Vladdy, this is Kuch, and that’s Vasy back there.”

Ceddy stood there for a moment before before saying, “I’m Ceddy.” He tried to hold back the smirk when the realization crossed all their faces.

“Should be cleaner, if kill that much,” Kuch said.

Ceddy laughed. “It’s a different world here.”

“Have to go,” Vasy said, looking at his watch.

They all exchanged parting nods and went their separate ways. Ceddy felt like they’d come to an understanding.

He text JT on his way home and asked him to come over, he was met with a smart ass remark, asking if his work was finished early. Followed by a text saying he was on his say.

Ceddy smirked and left it alone and hurried home, he wanted to get there before JT. 

 

Another few weeks and several more kills in Ybor and the surrounding area, the Russians had taken to hanging around the apartment, when JT wasn’t around, which wasn’t too often, but a few nights a week JT disappeared with little to no explanation. He and the Russians would kick back and have a few beers. JT still seemed skittish around them so they only came over when he was gone.

He’d discovered they were all really funny, especially Kuch who had a wicked sense of humor, once he got past caring about trying to have his English perfect with you.

Ceddy’s entire life felt surreal, he had friends and a, something in JT. They hadn’t discussed what they were but the Russian’s called him his boyfriend. Ceddy honestly wanted more with JT but they were hiding so much from each other and Ceddy had no idea how to move past it. He has literally no idea how to tell him he’s an assassin. How do you tell someone you care about something like that?

And what is JT hiding? What if he’s got like, an entire family somewhere?

What if - ? Ceddy had to stop himself, he was going to drive himself crazy. He was going to have to sit down with JT and talk this out. And find out his damn last name.

 

Later that week JT and Ceddy were on Ceddy’s couch, kissing while House Hunters played in the background. 

JT pulled away and started, “Ceddy, I think we should…”

He was cut off by Ceddy’s phone ringing, a distinct ringtone that hadn't rung once while he'd been in Florida.

It was his boss. The big boss. The head of The Organization in North America. The one who he answers to directly.

Ceddy wiggled away from JT saying, “Hold that thought, babe. I have to take this, it's my boss.”

“Ok, but we need to talk when you're done.”

“Paquette,” Ceddy answered the phone and walked out onto his balcony, closing the door behind him.

“Cedric. I have your assignment. It should be coming through in the next couple minutes. How are things going down there?”

“Good Papa, it's hot. How are you and Maman?”

They talked for a few minutes, Ceddy felt his phone vibrate while they were talking, his assignment coming through. After that they got off the phone, quickly with more cold pleasantries.

Ceddy took the moment alone to access the secured file on his target. The picture was taking a while to load so he scrolled on. 

J. Brown. Computer Hacktivist. He'd been shutting down some of The Organization’s ties in Europe and Asia, Russia specifically, the Scandinavian countries too.

Ceddy finished the file, it seemed easy. Clean cut. It had an address but said Brown no longer frequented it, it was a jumping off point. 

He scrolled back up to the top and found that the picture had loaded, it was blurry and grainy and if he didn't already know him he probably wouldn't realize who it was but without a doubt it was JT. His JT. Brown, that was his fucking last name.

Ceddy was supposed to kill his boyfriend. His boyfriend who he was maybe actually falling for.

Well, that's what JT has been doing, he did always have a computer around. Shit. What was Ceddy going to do?

He was pacing back and forth on his balcony, trying to figure out how the hell to handle this. Because obviously he wouldn't, couldn't, kill JT.

After a few minutes JT opened the French door a crack. “You ok? Bad news?”

“I, yeah. We should probably sit down, inside. And talk.”

They went back inside and sat back down on the couch. Well JT sat down, Ceddy perched right on the edge of the couch and downed the rest of his beer that had been sitting on the table.

“What's going on?” JT asked, looking nervous.

“First I want you to tell me what you were going to tell me, before.”

“You're making me nervous,” JT said, reaching over and putting his hand on Ceddy’s bouncing knee.

“I know, I'm sorry,” Ceddy said, making an effort to stop the bouncing. “We need to, just go ahead it's ok. I'm open to whatever it is you have to say. Just like I know you'll be open to what I'm going to tell you,” Ceddy said, squeezing JT’s hand.

“We've always danced around, like personal stuff. So I know you're hiding something too. So. Here's my thing,” JT says before sucking in a deep breath. “There are some people after me, some really bad people. Russians, which is why I kind of freaked out when your Russian friends showed up. I thought they'd found me.”

Ceddy nodded and squeezes JT’s hand again, hoping he had an encouraging look on his face. 

“I'm a hacker. I work with a group, and we take down terror, organized crime organizations, and corporations that are getting their money in, less than respectable ways. So, understandably, we've pissed off some people. They have counter hackers and I had a glitch and one of them got in. They got a little info on me, not a lot but they're closing in.”

“They've found you,” Ceddy said, softly, looking into JT’s eyes. “We've found you.”

“What do you…?” JT asked, trying to pull his hand away.

Ceddy wouldn't let him go. “I'm not going to hurt you. I really care for you, I wouldn't.”

JT looked skeptical but didn't pull away again. “Tell me, whatever it is.”

“I'm an assassin for, well, you probably already know who for. That's, where I disappear to sometimes.”

JT gripped his knee, hard, but didn't try to pull away.

“And I just got an assignment, from the very top.”

“Me?”

Ceddy nodded solemnly. “We've got to figure out how to fake your death. No one has asked for proof of death or anything. They don't have any reason to doubt me, but they might check in with the cleaners,” Ceddy was rambling, mostly to himself at this point. “Shit how are we going to do this?”

“I can take care of everything digitally. I've already made overt changes to my hacking style, it's really annoying but they haven't caught on yet,” JT told him

Ceddy nodded, his mind racing. “Good, good.”

He got up to pace so he was near the door and heard footsteps a moment before the knock came on his door.

Ceddy rushed back to the couch and pulled out the glock, checking it over and chambering a round on his way to the door, ignoring the terrified look on JT’s face.

“It's ok babe, I'll take care of you,” Ceddy said low.

He snatched the door open, keeping the gun hidden since he had no idea of who was on the other side.

It was the Russians, all three of them of course, they seemed to be inseparable.

“Where's JT?” Vladdy asked.

Ceddy gave up all pretenses and pointed the gun at him, far enough away he, or Kuch, couldn't grab it and take it away.

“Put that away moron,” Vladdy hisses, glancing down the hallway where Ceddy could hear someone unlocking their door. He was completely unruffled by having a gun pointed at him, he was worried about their cover. 

“Come to help, not hurt,” Kuch mumbled, also not bothered by the gun. Ceddy noticed the way Kuch was shifting, he hadn't brought a gun with him. He was always armed, even if they were only hanging out. He'd done it to make Ceddy, and JT, more comfortable. That meant, something.

“Can we come in?” Vladdy asked.

Ceddy looked over to JT, who still looked scared. JT nodded ever so slightly. He let them in but kept himself between them and JT, leaving Vasy to close the door.

They all settled in the living room, Ceddy still firmly between them and JT.

“We got a copy of your assignment, we always do for big ones,” Vladdy explained. “So we can prepare for collateral damage.”

“We recognized JT and came right over. You love him, so we want to help,” Vasy said. 

Ceddy sputtered for a minute but stopped when JT reached over and took his hand and smiled his blinding smile at him. 

“So what do we do?” Kuch asked.

“We already decided I would take care of things digitally, as for how to fake my death physically…” JT trailed off, looking to Ceddy.

“Have they ever asked for proof of any of my kills?” Ceddy asked.

All three shook their heads. “But you're the only one they haven't. At one point or another,” Vladdy said.

“Yeah, I've never given them a reason to not trust me. That's going to work in our favor.”

“They have asked for proof for every major assignment that has ever gone through us though,” Vladdy explained further.

Ceddy nodded. “So we should have something prepared, just in case.” 

Everyone else agreed. 

“What do they ask for? It it always the same?” JT asked.

“Pictures, but they always tell us what they want them to be.”

“Well, I can Photoshop anything we need. Especially if you've got other pictures for reference.”

Vladdy nodded but Ceddy asked, “How much time do they give you?”

“Couple hours, but it's summer. With the storms we can say the power or internet is down and buy a little time if needed,” Vladdy says. 

They all nod and look around at each other, all trying to figure out if they'd forgotten anything. 

Ceddy shrugged. “I guess we'll just play this by ear. A job this big with so little to go on would typically take me weeks, if not months.”

“Can I see my file?” JT asked. 

Ceddy had been wondering when he would ask. He pulled up the file and handed his phone over.  
“You guys want to stay for dinner?” JT asked before he started scanning the phone. “We were going to order Chinese food.”

The Russians all nodded in surprise.

“Babe you should order,” JT said, absent-mindedly patting Ceddy as he read the file on himself. 

“You have my phone.”

JT didn't bother to answer, he pointed to his own phone on the table. After Ceddy called in food for all of them JT said, “Almost all of this information is either way outdated or completely wrong. And some of it is accurate, but it's about my brother.”

“Show me,” Ceddy and Kuch said at the same time.

“Sometimes they activate me to help if need to,” Kuch shrugged in explanation when Ceddy looked at him questioningly.

JT motioned Kuch over to sit on his other side and the three of them went over the file together. Vladdy got door when the food arrived and together he and Vasy got them all plates and more beer from the kitchen.

They ate while they discussed where this information put them. There ended up only being two accurate, useful bits of info in the file on JT, so the figured they would have plenty of time to come up with contingency plans.

“How long do you have before they send someone to help you, or take over?” Vladdy asked.

“They've never given me a time limit before. I spent eight months looking for someone last year. I told you, they trust me. And wouldn't they just activate Kuch?”

Vladdy nodded. “Yeah, probably. If they don't have any reason to suspect we're up to anything.”

“Alright so, we just need to go on living our lives as normally as possible,” JT said through a mouthful of lo mein. Vasy looked disgusted but Ceddy, he looked fond. “And I'll start backstopping my new identity. If I've got months to work on it no one will ever find me out.”

“I've got weekly check-ins, like normal. A couple weeks in I'll mention that nothing is turning up and I'm going to push my check-ins out to every two weeks,” Ceddy said, picking at the fried rice on JT’s plate, as though it was somehow better than what he had. He caught Vladdy and Vasy exchanging a look. “What?”

“Nothing,” they answered together.

“What?” Kuch asked, he'd missed the entire exchange, focused on his plate.

Vladdy said something in Russian that made Kuch eye Ceddy and JT with a tiny smile playing at the edge of his lips.

“What? I thought you said it was nothing?” Ceddy complained, slightly amused but not used to this sort of chirpy relationship with anyone.

“Just hush and eat my rice babe,” JT said, sighing, making all the Russians laugh.

 

Four months later Ceddy knew he'd been in denial, he was so in love with JT it was gross, as the Russians reminded him constantly.

Ceddy’s father had bought all of his fake reports, most of them were nothing more than, “Yeah I've got nothing on this guy” or “I've got a lead to follow up”.

Four months since they'd come clean to one another, and nearly six months together and Ceddy still hadn't gotten around to telling JT that his father was the head of The Organization, in North America. He hoped when it finally came up that their relationship will be strong enough to be able to move past it. Besides his father had been training his replacement for years and Ceddy will have the option to leave The Organization when he does in a couple years, hopefully it's going to be a non-issue.

JT had given up his rental and moved right after Ceddy had been tasked with killing him, as soon as the Russians left they'd had the define the relationship talk. JT assumed Ceddy was all in, since he was turning his back on everything and everyone he'd ever known for him, and make himself a wanted man if this whole thing didn't go to plan. 

At one of Ceddy’s check-ins, about four and a half months after he'd begun the “manhunt” for his boyfriend Ceddy’s father mentioned coming to Florida himself, to lend a helping hand. He was getting pressure to deliver from Europe and Asia.

Ceddy sat bolt upright from where he'd been lounging on the couch, cuddling with a dozing JT. He managed to keep his cool on the phone and reminded his father that he was finally getting some concrete information on this Brown guy, he might be good but Ceddy was better. He also reminded his father he hated the heat, and they Ceddy hated having anyone over his shoulder.

“Give me two weeks, three at the most,” Ceddy implored.

“Fine Cedric, no more than three or I'll come down and do it myself,” his father said before ending the call.

“What was that about?” JT asked,yawning and pulling Ceddy down again so he could cuddle back into him.

The entire conversation had been in French so JT hadn't even gotten his side of it. “He said I've got three weeks to kill you, or he'll come do it himself.”

“Oh,” JT, yawned again. “Good thing we were ready to end it anyway.”

“Mmhmm,” Ceddy hummed, lips pressed to the top of JT’s now short hair.

“Better call the Russians,” JT said.

“After our nap,” Ceddy told him, pulling the blanket off the back of the couch and over them.

In the end it was easy, like all of the things in Ceddy’s life that he poured attention into the fine details of. 

Ceddy reported in that he'd located the target and would observe him for two or three days, learn his routines, etc, and make sure he didn't have any accomplices around. A few days later, while JT was playing video games with his feet in Ceddy’s lap he reported him dead and told him that the cleaners had just picked him up.

His father asked him how in excruciating detail, as Ceddy had expected, before congratulating him on a job well done and hanging up the phone.

“How did it go?” JT asked, turning off his game and booting up his computer, he'd already photoshopped dozens and dozens of pictures for the Russians to send in as proof of Ceddy’s job well done, they need to head from Vladdy what they needed.

“You're dead,” Ceddy snorted as Kuch text him that Vladdy had gotten the call and was describing the body, just as they'd planned it all out together. 

A few minutes later Vladdy called and described to JT was he needed, two standard shots, nothing out of the ordinary. They had a set of pictures that done already so JT send them over without having to make any modifications.

Vladdy text them shortly after to let them know that they were in the clear, by then JT had finished boxing up the last of their things in the living room.

They had a flight out that afternoon, booked separately of course, to Aruba. Ceddy always took time off after a major assignment so it wasn't out of the ordinary. The Russians would be over later in the afternoon to clean the apartment and they would store the boxes Ceddy and JT had until they came back from their vacation.

Ceddy had asked, weeks ago, for his next location assignment to be in Florida again, his father had questioned him but had been satisfied when Ceddy had said, “I met someone  
.” 

“Oh, good. I'm happy for you. We’ll start transitioning you out, maybe a little early but I'll make it work.”

Ceddy had been flabbergasted as he thanked his father.

 

Five months later Ceddy and JT closed on a house in the same neighborhood as Vasy and his family (he was married with a baby, who knew? Not Ceddy, until recently). JT’s new identity had excellent credit.

Ceddy was already starting his transition out of The Organization, he was still doing small stuff, being an enforcer and he's going to be helping the Russians some, but he can still be activated for special assignments. 

The night they moved in they were sitting on their new couch, surrounded by boxes that JT had in storage and Ceddy’s measly few boxes of possessions, eating Chinese delivery straight from the containers, because they had no idea where their dishes were, or if they had any. 

Ceddy was laying on the couch, his feet tucked under JT’s thigh as he sat on the other end, concentrating on the fried rice container in his hand. 

“Hey,” Ceddy said, wiggling his toes to get JT’s attention.

“Hmm?” JT hummed around a mouthful of food.

“Marry me?”


End file.
